Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello,
My idea is that if air can be forced opposite of the direction of the air creating the wingtip vortices at the same pressure, the induced drag can be reduced. I have tried to test this previously, and the wind tunnel i built did not have enough power for it to work. How much power would i need to make the wingtip vortices be able to be seen? What could be used to show the wingtip vortices? What i had used before was sidewalk chalk crushed up into a powder. Where could i find a blue print to build a wind tunnel? I am looking to make this new wind tunnel fit into a two car garage.

Hello Shaddow,

I'm no expert on wingtip vortices, but I understand that they can form at any speed. They are driven anytime the wing is generating lift.

I'm encouraged to believe this is true because I've seen vortices from automobiles, and I had a cousin who could blow very nice smoke rings (vortices) with the speed of his breath!

Science Buddies has a description of a homemade wind tunnel at https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... -toc.shtml.

Good luck, WW